A TODDLER drowned and her baby sister was left fighting for her life after an horrific bathroom tragedy at their Hampshire home.

The three-year-old girl and her one-year-old sister were in the bath when the incident happened.

Emergency services raced to the home in Alresford where mum Linda Brownsea lived with her daughters Natasha and baby Abigail.

They rushed the youngsters to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

But despite attempts by paramedics and doctors to save Natasha she died.

Her little sister was also treated in hospital. Her condition today is described as "critical" after being transferred to Southampton General Hospital.

Police have launched an investigation into the death, which happened yesterday afternoon.

Officers were carrying out investigations at the Windsor Road first-floor flat where the girls lived with their mother.

Neighbours said that Miss Brownsea, 22, screamed out of the window for help and a neighbour and a passer-by rushed around. Two ambulances quickly arrived at the scene to find the girls unconscious.

CID officers and a forensic team then spent several hours at the address after the incident at 4pm.

Late last night a uniformed officer was standing guard at the premises.

Detective inspector Mike Dodds, who is leading the investigation into the death, told the Daily Echo last night: "It's a tragic set of circumstances, which we are investigating."

DI Dodds confirmed that police had spoken to Miss Brownsea about the death. He said: "She is very upset."

The detective stressed that no-one has been arrested in connection with the incident.

News of the death has shocked the quiet road where the children lived. Neighbour George Buckby, who lived underneath the family, said: "It's a tragedy. Natasha was a lovely nipper and she was running around outside our door just this afternoon."

Single parent, Miss Brownsea, had lived at the address for two years.

Anne King, who lives opposite said: "She was very quiet and kept herself to herself. They were lovely children and they would look out of the window and wave at you."

Another neighbour, who did not want to named, said that the former Perins School pupil had split up with the father of the youngsters some time ago and he had moved out.

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